Programs & Initiatives

OOE Partners with families, students, staff and the community to deliver nationally recognized programs and initiatives designed to build and support capacity for authentic engagement.

Community Engagement

OOE works to ensure effective school-community partnerships, allocation of resources and tools that encourages authentic engagement of schools, families and the community in BPS decision making and policy. Contact: Mary Ann Crayton, Community Engagement, Senior Director, 617-635-6771, mcrayton@bostonpublicschools.org.

Family Capacity Building & Support

Provides opportunities for families to get involved and gain support as they build their capacity. From families with children in preschool through grade 12 to novice families learning English, technology or advocacy, there are parent groups, reading clubs and multi-session courses available to serve all BPS families. Contact: Sonia Gomez-Banrey, Countdown to Kindergarten, Director, 617-635-6816, sgomezbanrey@bostonpublicschools.org. Cyntoria Grant, Parent University, Director, 617-635-7750, cgrant@bostonpublicschools.org.

School Capacity Building & Support

Supports schools in assessing their engagement practice to meet district standards and requirements for engagement and building staff capacity to welcome and engage all families. This includes effectively leveraging partners to promote academically and socially-emotionally successful students particularly around shared student learning and leadership. Contact: Karla Jenkins, School Support Team, Director, 617-635-7750, kjenkins@bostonpublicschools.org.

Student Engagement

Works to ensure every Boston public middle and high school (including district schools, exam schools, and all alternative, pilot, and in-district charter schools) have a written and working student engagement policy that provides opportunities for students to assume leadership roles within classrooms and the broader school community. Contact: Maria Ortiz, BSAC Coordinator, 617-635-9446, mortiz@bostonpublicschools.org.